A biography of alexander the great

As the Illyrians and Thracians lived mainly from plunder, he told them to look at the enemy line glittering in gold The other Greek states were cowed by this severity, and Alexander could afford to treat Athens leniently.

Poets, statesmen and the fore-runners of democracy. Philip was then named Hegemon often translated as "Supreme Commander" of this league known by modern scholars as the League of Corinthand announced his plans to attack the Persian Empire. Following fierce fighting and heavy losses on both sides, Darius fled and was assassinated by his own troops.

The Macedonians spent two hard years in Bactria fighting a guerilla war against the followers of Bessus and the Sogdian ruler Spitamenes. Callisthenes was soon executed on a charge of conspiracy, and we can only imagine how Aristotle received the news of his death.

Philip deliberately commanded his troops to retreat, counting on the untested Athenian hoplites to follow, thus breaking their line. It was probably in connection with a general order now sent out to the Greeks to honour Hephaestion as a hero that Alexander linked the demand that he himself should be accorded divine honours.

They were not aware that the Athenians and the Peloponnesians, stunned by the speed of the Macedonian king, quickly reconsidered their options and were now awaiting the outcome of the battle before they make their next move.

Little later, at Opis he proclaimed the discharge of 10, Macedonian veterans to be sent home to Macedonia with general Craterus. Proskynesis To gain credibility with the Persians, Alexander took on many Persian customs. His increasingly Oriental behavior eventually led to conflict with the Macedonian nobles and some Greeks in the train.

Ironically, it is not the Persians but the Greek coastal cities which gave the greatest resistance to the Macedonians. Alexander Enters India In B. As a general Alexander is among the greatest the world has known.

He went further by ridiculing Alexander for claiming to be "son of Ammon" and for denouncing his own father Philip II. Moreover, he needed the wealth of Persia if he was to maintain the army built by Philip and pay off the talents he owed.

Reluctantly, Alexander agreed to stop here. He died at the age of Alexander was severally wounded in this attack when an arrow pierced his breastplate and his ribcage. Peucestas, the new governor of Persisgave this policy full support to flatter Alexander; but most Macedonians saw it as a threat to their own privileged position.

Historyplex Staff Last Updated: When the walls finally gave in, the Macedonians poured their anger over the city defenders - 7, people were killed, 30, were sold as slaves.

Meanwhile, a rumour of his death had precipitated a revolt of Theban democrats; other Greek states favoured Thebesand the Atheniansurged on by Demosthenesvoted help.

With the fall of Gaza, the whole Eastern Mediterranean coast was now secured and firmly in the hands of the Macedonians. Alexander said nothing and disdainfully threw the precious water into the sand. But Alexander will never see this happen. His best friend and second in command was the general Hephaestion.

The only link between the many units that went to make up an empire more disparate than that of the Habsburgsand far larger, was his own person; and his death came before he could tackle this problem.Feb 22, · Watch video · In Babylon, Alexander the Great suffers a mysterious illness causing his death just a few days shy of his thirty-third birthday.

In the first authoritative biography of Alexander the Great written for a general audience in a generation, classicist and historian Philip Freeman tells the remarkable life of the great conqueror.

The celebrated Macedonian king has been one /5(). Nov 09, · Alexander the Great was an ancient Macedonian ruler and one of history’s greatest military minds who—as King of Macedonia and Persia—established the largest empire the ancient world had ever.

Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography. King of Macedonia and Conqueror of the Persian Empire. Alexander III the Great, the King of Macedonia and conqueror of the Persian Empire is considered one of the greatest military geniuses of all times.

Watch video · Alexander the Great was born in the Pella region of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia on July 20, B.C., to parents King Philip II of Macedon and Queen Olympia, daughter of King Neoptolemus.

Alexander The Great Biography. Alexander the Great ( BC – BC) was perhaps the greatest military commander of all time. During one decade, he conquered all of the known world leaving one of the world’s most extensive empires.